KEY LARGO - Organizers of the Orange Bowl Swimming Classic, set for Saturday at the Jacobs Aquatic Center in Key Largo, announced Thursday that several Olympic medal winners and contenders for the 2008 Beijing Summer games are to swim at the event.

Olympic athletes include Gary Hall Jr., the fourth most-decorated U.S. Olympic swimmer in history with 10 medals; Darren Mew, a 2004 Athens Olympic finalist for Great Britain; George Bovell, a 2004 bronze medalist; Guy Barnea, member of the 2008 Israeli Olympic team; Allison Wagner, a silver medalist in the 1996 Olympics and other top athletes aspiring to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic swim team.

While the Olympians are to only swim in demonstration heats, their presence provides additional incentive for the public to attend the free competition that also features some of the nation's finest collegiate swimmers.

The sprint-style meet is to begin at 10 a.m. at the Jacobs Center, mile marker 99.6 oceanside in Key Largo.

Universities slated to compete include Boston College, California University of Pennsylvania, George Mason University (Fairfax, Va.), Minnesota State University, Oberlin College (Ohio), St. Peters College (New Jersey), Vassar College (New York) and Washington College (Maryland).

“From the time someone leaves the blocks to the time the event is over, there’s a person in the water,” said Dr. Jim Boilini, the event’s director. “So there’s no interruptions, no hesitation. Just nonstop action.”

For information regarding the swim classic, call (305) 453-7946.